Fanduel NFL Strategy Guide for 2019 Season
Welcome to RotoJuke’s Fanduel NFL Daily Fantasy Football Strategy Guide for 2019!
This is a comprehensive rundown of how Fanduel scoring works and what you need to know each week in order to build a high scoring, highly profitable lineup.
If you need help with a specific position, then use the legend below to jump to a specific section.
QB | RB | WR | TE | FLEX | DEF
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Getting Started
In order to win at Fanduel fantasy football, you need a comprehensive understanding of bankroll management, game selection, the scoring system, picking players by position, stacking strategies, and additional resources to improve your lineup building skills.
Game Selection
Cash games: 50/50 and double ups contests that pay out to the top 50% of the field. Consistent players are KING in cash games.
GPP contests: Only the top 20% of entrants finishes in the money. You want boom or bust players in your lineup
Bankroll Management
Proper dfs bankroll management is key to winning throughout the season without losing money. Before you build your NFL lineups, figure out what you are going to do with your money.
Here’s a few tips I use to keep your bankroll in tact:
- Set a Weekly budget: Don’t go on tilt and spend too much per week. Set a budget and stick to it. I usually play no more than $20 a week. This is money I can afford to lose. Do not gamble away so much you cannot pay your bills.
- Never Pay More than 10% of Your Bankroll: Always keep some of your bankroll for next week in case you fail to cash.
- Track your results: What gets measured gets improved. I use Rototracker to track my performance throughout the season.
Roster Construction
FanDuel gives you a $60,000 salary cap to spend on 9 players. Here’s a positional breakdown below:
- 1 QB
- 2 RBs
- 3 WR
- 1 TE
- 1 Flex
- 1 DEF
At first glance, it should be obvious how important WRs and RBs are in your lineup building process. Along with the flexpostion, they account for 66.6% (6 out of 9) of your roster.
These positions should dominate your research tie since WR & RB variance is greater than any other position. You need to nail these two positions to do well in GPPs. Cash games is a different story because you only need to finish in the top 50%.
Scoring System
The Fanduel Scoring system is completely unique so we will discuss every aspect of it so you feel comfortable building your lineups.
When you look for value players, you will be able to use the scoring system to determine if you want to spend up or down at a certain position.
QB (QuarterBacks)
I’m going to start with the first position available in your Fanduel lineup: Quarterbacks.
You only choose 1 QB on Fanduel so it’s crucial to choose wisely.
How do we find these QBs? Let’s break down the QB scoring system then find ways to predict high scoring QB plays.
QB Scoring System Breakdown
Passing Yards = .04 pts (1 pt per 25 yards)
Quarterbacks receive .04 pts per yard or 1 point per 25 yards passing. You want to target QBs who can throw for at least 350+ yards plus. More yards will usually equal more touchdowns, but it’s harder to predict when a receiver will score. TD pass % is a good metric to measure QB output.
Passing Touchdowns = 4 points
100 yards passing is equal to a passing TD. This key information will help you avoid crucial mistakes in QB selection. Only play QBs with 3 tds or more upside.
Interceptions = -1 point
Losing 1 point per interception is so small that I wouldn’t worry too much about it when choosing QBs. However, too many interceptions costs the offense valuable possessions.
If you want to be extra cautious, then take a look at NFL Passing stats to see who has throw the fewest INTs in the league.
Rushing Yards & Touchdowns for QBs
Rushing QBs like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson can rack up a ton of points on the ground. They are solid mid-tier plays every week although they usually don’t have 30+ FDP upside because they don’t get enough pass attempts. But their lower price & lack of ownership makes for great GPP plays.
How to Select QBs on Fanduel
Ok, so now we are looking for QBs who can throw for 350+ yards and 3+ tds. How do we find these players?
- Choose from QBs in High Vegas Total Games: These games are more likely to turn into a shootout
- Find a Mid-tier Value QB to Save Money: QBs priced within $6500 to $7,500 offer the highest return on salary
- Target efficient QBs: Focus TD pass% & Completion Percentage
- Home Field Advantage: QBs who are favored at home perform better
- Monitor injuries: A low priced backup QB who is starting becomes a value play
- Fantasy Points Allowed to QBs: Check Rotoguru for Fanduel Points Allowed to QBs to see which QB will get a great matchup for each week.
RB (Running Backs)
Running backs are becoming a lost art in today’s modern day NFL where it’s normal for QBs to throw for 300 yards per game.
This is NFL is a passing league in 2019. Adjust accordingly.
However, you must play 2 RBs on your Fanduel lineups so we need to find solid value at this position.
How do we find these top scoring RBs? Let’s go over the scoring system then find ways to discover Fanduel value picks at RB.
RB Scoring System Breakdown
Rushing Yards = 0.1 pts or 1 pt per 10 rushing yards
You receive 1 point for every 10 rushing yards your RB gains.
More NFL teams use a RB by committee approach by rotating the carries between 2 to 3 RBs. Avoid RBs in a timeshare. High volume workhorses provide the most upside.
Rushing TDs = 6 points
This is where you will make your big money.
2 to 3 TD upside is a must if you want to win at Fanduel. 1 TD is worth 60 yards so you should focus on RBs that receive a high amount of red zone touches and goal line carries.
Receiving Yrds = 0.1 points or 1 point per 10 yards receiving
Passing catching RBs are valuable on Fanduel because they receive more touches and thus more fantasy points. Targets are the easiest way to find RBs who contribute in the passing game.
Receptions = 0.5 points per catch
Fanduel is a 1/2 PR site, meaning you get .5 points for every reception. This makes pass catching RBs less valuable than full PPR sites.
Fumbles Lost = -2 points
It’s hard to predict fumbles, but there are worse problems when your RB fumbles often: he will get benched. Avoid RBs who put the ball on the ground. You can check ESPN.com’s Rushing Stats to see who fumbles the most in the NFL.
How to Pick RBs on Fanduel
Ok. So now we are looking for RBs who can score at least 2 Tds and rack up the rushing yards without fumbling. Here’s how we do it.
- Pick RBs with lots of touches: Aim for at least 250 to 30 touches per game.
- Choose home favorites: RB favored at home will get more carries to preserve the lad. Use Vegas lines to find favored teams.
- Stack RB with DEF: This stack is positively correlated since teams will run the ball to preserve the lead, thus keeping the defense off the field.
- Study Red Zone Usage: Red zone carries are important for Rbs. Aim for RBs who get at least 80% of the carries within the 10 yard line.
- Monitor Injury Replacements: Backup RBs who start when the starter gets injured become a huge value due to opportunity
- Downgrade RBs with lower body injuries: They tend to perform worse or could get phased out as the game goes on. Keep track of the injury reports.
- Monitor Fantasy Points Allowed Against RBs: A high volume RB facing a poor running defense is the ideal situation.
WR (Wide Receiver)
Wide Receiver is a position with lots of upside. Volatility is also the highest.
Should you spend up or down at WR? Let’s take a look at the WR scoring system then talk about selecting WRs.
WR Scoring System Breakdown
Receptions = 0.5 points per catch
While Fanduel is not a full PPR site, I feel high volume WRs are worth rostering for cash games. Choose WR who get plenty of targets.
Receiving Yards = 0.1 pt or 1 point per 10 receiving yards
100+ yard receiving games is the gold standard for WRs. You roster 3 WRs so each player needs the possibility of putting up a large game. Spend TIME focusing on players going against poor pass coverages in a preferable game script like a shootout with a high vegas total.
Receiving TDs = 6 points
Luckily, WR is the one position where you need around 2 TDs to score a lot of points. Red zone targets are very key to finding WRs with big Fanduel upside.
Punt Return/Kick Return TDs = 6 points
WRs who return punts/kickoff have extra upside over normal offensive wide receivers. Guys like Tyreke Hill have extra upside in this category.
How to Pick WRs
Now, you have a good idea of what to look for in a WR. You need receptions, 100+ and 2 TD upside. Let’s take a look at ways to discover these gems.
- Targets: More targets = more opportunity. Receive with 10+ targets have more chances to put up points.
- Red Zone Targets: Most NFL touchdowns are scored in the redzone, not with the long scoring plays.
- Pay Up for 1 STUD: Every week, there is usually 1 stud WR tha goes off. Spend more at WR while saving money at QB, TE and DEF.
- Downgrade WRs under concussion protocol: WR who experienced a concussion could be used as decoys or completely phased out off the game.
- Avoid Shutdown Cornerbacks: Elite CBs aka shutdown cornerbacks have a reputation of limiting top WR1 production. Guys like Casey Hayward (Chargers), Harris (Chargers), Patrick Peterson (Cardinals), Jalen Ramsey (Jaguars), Xavier Rhodes (Vikings), Darius Slay (Lions), Aquil Talib, and Tredavious White (Bills).
Examine Gameflow
The majority of high scoring WRs are playing in an AWAY game against a horrible pass coverage.
Why?
It’s positive gameflow. Home teams love to grind out the clock with the run game. It’s too risky to throw when you are already winning the game.
However, NFL coaches use a different strategy on the road. When the passing game works, NFL offensive coordinators will stick to airing it out or throwing short hitch passes.
I recommend WRs in great matchups on the road. The next best thing is WRs at home with a slight Vegas margin, meaning the game should stay close.
TE (Tight Ends)
The TE position on Fanduel takes on new meaning this year due to the retirement of Rob Gronkowski. Now, we have 3 elite TEs to choose from:
Choosing from this small yet elite class is a good starting strategy. You don’t want to risk punting the position and getting a low score here.
How do we find these high scoring TEs? Let’s take a look at the scoring system then find those TEs that you need to roster to win on Fanduel.
TE Scoring System Breakdown
Receptions = 0.5 points per catch
While Fanduel is not a full PPR site, I feel high volume TEs are worth rostering for cash games. Targets are the key.
Receiving Yards = 0.1 pt or 1 point per 10 receiving yards
Just like WRs, TEs can rack up yardage in a hurry. Look at air yards and average receiving yards per game to find strong performers.
Receiving TDs = 6 points
TE is the one position where you need TDs to make value. Red zone targets are very key to finding TEs with big Fanduel upside.
How to Pick TEs on Fanduel
Ok so a good day for a TE is 100+ receiving yards and multiple TDs. Here’s how to find them:
- Targets: TEs with lots of targets have the best chance to score points.
- Red Zone Targets: TEs are tall athletes who can use their height against shorter defenders in the red zone.
- Target Defenses with 2 solid CBs: If the opposing defense has solid cornerbacks, then the QB will funnel more targets to his TE.
- Home Field Advantage: TEs favored at home have more opportunities to catch shorter passes to move the 1st down chains and keep possession.
- Avoid Recency Bias: Target TEs who recently had a poor game but still received a lot of targets. They are great bounce back candidates.
Fantasy Points Allowed to TEs
Rotoguru shows which teams allow the most Fanduel Points to TEs.
Flex Position (RB, TE or WR)
The flex position is one of the ways to separate yourself from the pack in GPPs. In cash games, you are better off plugging in the chalk play of the week .
WRs are usually the highest scoring players on the slate so it makes sense to pick a WR in the flex position. However, pass catching RBs are a good choice as well.
We already covered the scoring system for running backs and pass catchers so let’s jump straight into selection strategies.
How to Select the Flex Position
- Plug in the Chalk Play of the Week: This is a good place to place the chalk. Chalk plays are the most talked about player during any given NFL week. Kind of like a free square. It reduces your thinking from 9 to 8 players. Just one less position to worry about.
- Boom or Bust WRs: For GPPs, you can play a guy with big Air Yards that can go off for 30+ FDP.
- Injury Replacement RBs: If a stud RB gets injured or has a contract holdout, his main backup becomes a fine flex play.
DEF (Defense)
Picking a high scoring defense is tricky. Your goal is to get 20+ FDP from your defense to take down a GPP.
I’m going to explain the scoring system in detail so you know which defenses to target. Defensive scoring on Fanduel is completely random and unpredictable. The variance is too great to find any trends this early in the season.
DEF Scoring System Breakdown
Sack = 1 pt
Sacks are a valuable metric for choosing defenses. I like to pick on Quarterbacks that get sacked often and have terrible offensive line protection.
Interceptions = 2 pts
Interceptions are twice as valuable as sacks so you should play defenses against a below average Quarterback.
Defensive TDs = 6 pts
The holy grail of the defensive scoring system! Defensive TDs are a surefire way to soar up the leaderboard without getting any assistance from your skill players. They are hard to predict but some defensive score more often than others.
DEF Selection Strategies
Stacking Strategies
Stacking players (choosing players from the same game) is a successful strategy for winning GPP contests. It isn’t as necessary for cash games because consistency is king.
Positively Correlated Stacks
Let’s quickly go over positively correlated stacks that will help your lineup score more points:
- QB-WR1: Pairing your QB with his WR1 main option is the most popular stack.
- QB-WR2: Pairing your QB with his 2nd option is a good strategy for GPPs to differentiate your lineup.
- QB-Opposing WR1: A popular GPP contrarian stack is to pair your QB with the opposing team’s WR1.
- QB-RB: Pass catching RBs can score extra points for your lineup when the QB has a good day.
- QB-WR3: A deep GPP strategy to pair your QB with the team’s 3rd option.
- QB-TE: Another solid strategy is to pair your QB with the tight end.
- RB-DEF: Stacking your RB with his defense in the hopes that he racks up yards while keep the DEF off the field.
Negatively Correlated Stacks
On the other hand, these re negatively correlated stacks to avoid because they cost your lineup points.
- QB-Opposing DEF
- RB-Opposing DEF
- WR-Opposing DEF
- RB1-RB2
Additional Reading
It’s a good idea to pick up a few books from Amazon to learn more in-depth information about winning in NFL DFS.
For more Fanduel NFL strategy, advice, and tips, please check out these articles:
